History of the Blue Box

10/15/2012

The first blue box program was set up in the early 1980s, but the current Blue Box Program Plan was created in 2003 by the Waste Diversion Act, which directs industry to fund up to 50 per cent of costs.

History of the Blue Box

October 15, 2012

The first blue box program was set up in the early 1980s, but the current Blue Box Program Plan was created in 2003 by the Waste Diversion Act, which directs industry to fund up to 50 per cent of costs.

Stewardship Ontario, an “industry funding organization” represents producers and importers of printed paper and packaging and is responsible for implementing the plan.

Currently, about 42 per cent of the net costs of the blue box program are funded by these industry stewards. In 2005, the Ministry of the Environment agreed to allow newspapers to provide space to municipalities for recycling advertising in lieu of a cash payment.